I have not read the book, I read the first, and that was it, I felt I could watch the movies, I don't read too much anyway. I have never really felt, left out, of a story, that I chose to watch instead of read the book, that was until Saturday night. The original plan for this movie was to film 2 movies to be released winter/spring, to fill in for the huge book they were gonna have to tackle. The director, Mike Newell, felt he could fit it all into 2.5 hours. I have not read the book, I had no idea what the story was even about, and I could tell that this movie left way too much out. There were scenes cut, there was changes in pace, that left you going what did I miss? The tagline for the movie that is on the poster is "Everything is about to chage." What changed? I didn't see any change. Was there something that changed? I got out of the movie, and I was like what about this, what about that, Libertie answer my questions, and of couse she had not read this book yet either, so I'm screwed. The movie itself is fun, exciting, funny and visually amazing. Well worth the price of admission of a stand alone sequel to a movie that is not Harry Potter. Some issues however. I felt that until the end of the movie, there was no scary villan or antagonist, and suddendly poof there he is. Whomever that may be. There wasn't anything anyone was trying to figure out, there was so much subplot filler, that they never delt with the actual main conflict. Until the last 10 minutes or so. I didn't feel peril really at all. I never really felt that Harry Potter was in danger, or anyone around him. I pretty much left unfulfilled, like on prom night. The movie cost 308 million to make, they mad a lot back already this weekend about 200 million across the globe, so they should be fine, and no one is gonna be upset about the lack of this or that and unanswered questions. So I would not expect to see a change in format for the next 2 books, but I do have to give it a 4 for not beaming me with excitiment and leaving too many questions, but still better than most.